| "'The heart must be free; it cannot be ordained whom we shall love.'" --Lancelot in Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, pg. 453 |
| Background of the Arthurian Legend |
| The legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table is perhaps one of the most famous pieces of folklore in history. For centuries, it has delighted readers with tales of questing knights, courtly love, wicked plot twists, and a tragic conclusion. Although Camelot most likely did not exist, the character of Arthur is believed to have been based on a heroic Welsh warrior of the sixth century named Arturius (Prentice Hall Literature, 717) Throughout history, the great writers of Europe have passed down the legend from one generation to the other, each one adding and altering the story until it has progressed to the most contemporary versions of our day. One example of the culmination of hundreds of years of literature is T.H. White's The Once and Future King, one of my main sources for this term paper. I'll base my background mostly on the text of this book. |
 |
| By falling in love, Guinevere and Lancelot damned the future of Camelot. |
| The legend takes place in medival Britain, a place filled with warring, magic, and intrigue. Even before the birth of King Arthur, mysterious things are taking place... The Earl of Cornwall has a beautiful wife, named Igraine. She is so beautiful, in fact, that Uther Pendragon, the most powerful king of that time, is desirous of her. This is a complicated situation, since Igraine has already raised a family, and has three lovely daughters, all destined to become enchantress queens--Morgan le Fay, Elaine, and Morgause. But Uther's feelings are so strong that he will do anything to have Igraine's hand in marriage--even commit treachery. This is where Merlin steps in. The famous wizard, who has powers beyond anything imaginable, and can predict the future, offers his services. He does this because he knows that by bringing Uther and Igraine together, they will produce Arthur--a prophesized king who will bring peace to the warring land. Thus, Merlin disguises Uther to look like Igraine's husband, and while Uther's army invades the castle of Cornwall, Arthur is conceived within its walls by his intended parents. The Earl is murdered, and Igraine submits to marriage with Uther. Nine months later, her baby boy is born. |
 |
| But the infant Arthur does not remain with his family. Rather, he is whisked away by Merlin, who takes him to live in a small kingdom in the Forest Sauvage. He is adopted by Sir Ector, and is nicknamed "Wart" by his adoptive brother, Kay (if any of this sounds familiar, you've either read this book, or seen "The Sword in the Stone"). And thus the boy who would be king does not know of his royal lineage. Over the years, he grows into a gangly youth, spending his time being educated by Merlin in the ways of ruling, fighting, and thinking. Yet this simplistic lifestyle is interrupted one day when Britain is hit with the news that the Great King--Uther Pendragon--has died. In order to determine who shall be the next King of England, a magnificent contest is held. A sword is magically implanted in a stone in a churchyard in London, and whoever pulls it out has proved himself to be worthy of becoming the next British monarch. Long story short, Arthur pulls the sword out, much to his surprise, and is later told of his royal parentage, which allowed him to retrieve the sword. He has no choice but to submit to his intended fate. Merlin agrees to stay by Arthur's side throughout his reign. And the boy called the Wart is crowned the King of Britain. |
   |
| Go Back to the Table of Contents |
| Go Back to the Homepage |
| E-Mail me at [email protected] |
| As prophesized, Arthur becomes an extremely capable and just ruler. With Merlin's guidance, he brings peace to the land, ending the barbaric age that England had slipped into. He builds up a splendid reputation as being the most wonderful monarch that Britain has ever had. Yet in stark contrast to his popular image, Arthur does make one fatal mistake in his first years as king. While out on a quest, he is seduced by a beautiful older woman, who becomes pregnant with his child. Although it is bad enough for Arthur to have a bastard child in the world, the situation worsens when the woman's identity is revealed: she is no other than Morgause, Arthur's half-sister by their shared mother. The result of this incestuous affair, called Mordred, will also contribute to the downfall of Camelot many decades later. Yet Arthur is able to move on from this affair, and defend his reputation. The young king finds himself wanting for a wife, and chooses Guinevere of Cameliard, one of the most beautiful women of the land. Although Merlin warns him against choosing her, Arthur is persistent. They are married and the royalty of Camelot has its much anticipated queen. Years later, a young and magnificent knight named Lancelot comes to Arthur's court to become a part of his Round Table. All seems well, and the King lives his life with his lovely wife and his greatest friend. But fate would not allow this prosperity to continue...and the love that blossomed between Guinevere and Lancelot would become the crack in the moral foundation of Camelot. And in the end, everyone is buried beneath the rubble of its eventual collapse. |
| Picture Source: ""La Belle Dame Sans Merci" by Sir Frank Dicksee, Artmagick.com |